Partition support



Oct 30, 1934 P. H. MEYER 4 Lgf/85E PARTITION SUPPORT Filed June 7, 1954 Y ATTORNE Patented oet. so, 1934 PATENT QFFICE UNITED STATES This invention relates to shelf, table or counter displays, and particularly to the provision of means for supporting partitions in different positions of adjustment to subdivide a surface 8 into two or more compartments to facilitate storage or display of various kinds and classes of merchandise; and the object of the invention is to provide a partition supporting device involving spaced wall members forming a channel l for receiving a partition strip or part with means on the device for detachably securing the same to a predetermined support, and further to the provision of a support involving a channeled bar having longitudinally and equally spaced pairs 18 of apertures in conjunction with which the supporting device operates; a further object being to provide the spaced walls of the device with yielding or spring members extending in coul pling arms by means of which the device may be firmly securedV in connection with its support when the partitionstrip is mounted therein; a still further object being to provide a device of the class described which is formed from a single sheet of material fashioned tov form a substantially U-shaped device having at the lower ends thereof relatively wide supporting feet which are adapted to straddle the channeled portion of the supporting bar in mounting the device thereon; and with these and other objects in a0 view, the invention consists in a support of the class and for the purpose speciil'ed which is simple in construction, efiicient in use and which is constructed as hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, of which the accompanying drawing forms a part, in which the separate parts of my improvement are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views, and in which:

4o Fig. 1 is a perspective and sectional view of a part of a shelf, table or counter indicating the use of one of my improved partition supporting devices.

Fig. 2 is a partial section on the line 2 2 4s of Fig. 1 and on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 3 is a partial section on the line 33 of Fig. 2: and,

Fig. 4 is a partial section on the line 4-1-4 of Fig. 2.

5o For the purpose of illustrating one method of carrying my invention into eifect, I have indicated at 5 the top of a table, counter, or the board of a shelf having a facing sheet 6 grooved as indicated at 6a. to. receive an upstanding wall or l5 strip 7 which may be composed of glass. At

various points longitudinally of the facing 6 are recesses 8 in which are arranged partition` supporting bars, one of which is shown at 9 in Fig. 1 of the drawing. These bars consist of strips of metal having central channeled portions 10 which projectV upwardly, and the upper` surface thereof is provided with longitudinally spaced apertures 11.

The apertures 11 may be equally spaced one from the other or may be arranged in pairs in. which the apertures are equally spaced from each other so as to receive partition supporting devices 12 at different points longitudinally of the bar 9 so as to support partition strips or wall members 13 different distances from the wall 7. It will be understood in this connection that any number of the partition walls 13 may be employed depending upon the size of compartments which are to be formed on the surface oi the counter, shelf or other support.

The devices 12 each consists of an elongated sheet of material which is folded centrally to form two side Walls 14, 15, arranged in spaced relation to each other and which are joined at the crosshead by curved supporting feet i6, each foot consisting of substantially semi-circular iatz erally projecting portions 16a joined by a central upwardly arched portion 16h as clearly seen in Fig. 3 of the drawing. The central part ci the crosshead of the device 12 is cut out intermediate the feet 16, and the side walls 14 and 15 are cut to form spring members 17 and 18 of the walls 14, 15 respectively. 'Ihe side edges of the spring members 17 terminate in alinement with the inner edges of the feet 16 as clearly seen in Fig. 2 of the drawing, and the lower end of the spring 17 terminates in an outwardly extending arm 17a having at its free end a finger piece or flange 17h; whereas, the spring member 18 terminates in an outwardly and downwardly extending arm 18a as is clearly seen in Fig. 4 4of the drawing'.

In forming the springs 17, 18 from the walls 14, 15, U-shaped cuts 19 are formed centrally thereof which leave the portions 20 in alinement with the walls 14 and 15 and provide two spring arms 21 for coupling the members 17 and 18 with said walls, thus providing a more resilient mounting for the comparatively wide spring members. The advantage in providing the wide spring members 17 and 18 is to provide a rmer engagement with the partition strip or wall 13.

As seen in Fig. 3 of the drawing, the inner surfaces of the spring members 17 and 18 project into the space formed between adjacent surfaces of the walls 14 and 15 so that in mounting the partition strip 13 between said walls, the spring members 17 and 18 are iiexed outwardly so as to urge the arms 17a, 18a into firm engagement with the walls of the apertures 11, thus rigidly supporting the device 12 in connection with the bar 9 to provide a flrm mounting of the partition strip of wall 13 upon the member 5 or the facings 6. The walls 14 and 15 are capable of inward and outward fiexure should any irregularities prevail in the thickness of the strip 13 employed.

In the use of the devices 12, it will be understood that the arm 17a with the finger piece 17h thereon is first inserted through one of the apertures 11, after which the arm 18a. is inserted into an adjacent opening with the feet 16 resting upon the laterally extending flanges 9a of the bar 9 and to facilitate this operation, the spring member 18 may be flexed inwardly to a slight degree.

When the device 12 is in proper position, the strip 13 is now placed between the walls 14 and 15, and in the downward movement of said strip, it engages the inwardly projecting portions of the spring members 1'7 and 18 and forces said members outwardly or laterally into a firm engagement with the walls of the apertures 11 to securely support the device 12 in connection with the bar 9.

It will be apparent that I am not necessarily limited to the specific structure of the device herein shown and described, nor am I limited to any particular use thereof, and changes in the structure of the device may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. A supporting device of the class described comprising spaced walls having at their lower ends and side portions projecting supporting feet and spring members fashioned from said walls and terminating at their free ends in projecting arms for engagement with a suitable support to retain the device against displacement therefrom.

2. A supporting device of the class described comprising spaced walls having at their lower ends and side portions projecting supporting feet and spring members fashioned from said Walls and terminating at their free ends in projecting arms for engagement with a suitable support to retain the device against displacement therefrom, and said spring -members projecting inwardly from adjacent surfaces of said Walls.

3. A supporting device of the class described comprising spaced walls having at their lower ends and side portions projecting supporting feet and spring members fashioned from said walls I and terminating at their free ends in projecting arms for engagement with a suitable support to retain the device against displacement therefrom, said spring members projecting inwardly from adjacent surfaces of said walls, and the supporting feet consisting of laterally projecting, substantially semi-circular portions.

4. A supporting device of the class described comprising spaced walls having at their lower ends and side portions projecting supporting feet andspring members fashioned from said Walls and terminating at their free ends in projecting arms for engagement with a suitable support to retain the device against displacement therefrom, said spring members projecting inwardly from adjacent surfaces of said walls, the supporting feet consisting of laterally projecting, substantially semi-circular portions joined by upwardly arched crosshead members.

5. A supporting device of the class described comprising spaced walls having at their lower ends and side portions projecting supporting feet and spring members fashioned from said walls and terminating at their free ends in projecting arms for engagement with a suitable support to retain the device against displacement therefrom, said spring members projecting inwardly from adjacent surfaces of said walls, the supporting feet consisting of laterally projecting, substantially semi-circular portions, and the spring members joining said walls in a pair of spring parts.

6. A partition supporting device of the class described comprising a single sheet of material folded centrally to form spaced and substantially parallel walls joined at the crosshead in side and laterally extending feet, each wall being fashioned to form intermediate said feet spring members terminating at their free ends in coupling portions for tensionally engaging a support in connection with which the device is mounted.

7. A partition supporting device of the class described comprising a single sheet of material folded centrally to form spaced and substantially parallel walls joined at the crosshead in side and laterally extending feet, each wall being fashioned to form intermediate said feet spring members terminating at their free ends in coupling portions for tensionally engaging a support in connection with which the device is mounted, and said spring members including parts normally projecting beyond the inner adjacent surfaces of said walls.

8. A partition supporting device of the class described comprising a single sheet of material folded centrally to form spaced and substantially parallel Walls joined at the crosshead in side and laterally extending feet, each wall being fashioned to form intermediate said feet spring members terminating at their free ends in coupling portions for tensionally engaging a support in connection with which the device is mounted, said spring members including parts normally projecting beyond the inner adjacent surfaces of said walls, and that part of the spring members joining said walls being out centrally to form spaced arms.

9. The herein described means for mounting partition strips in connection with a table or other support comprising in combination with an elongated supporting bar having longitudinally spaced apertures, a partition supporting device comprising spaced plates joined by a cross-head, the cross-head of said plates being arranged parallel to and engaging said bar to support Jthe same thereon, and spring members on said plates cooperating with adjacent apertures on said bar for securing the device against displacement from said bar when a partition strip is disposed between said spaced walls.

l0. The herein described means for mounting partition strips in connection with a table or other support comprising in combination with an elongated supporting bar having longitudinally spaced apertures, a partition supporting device comprising spaced plates joined by a cross-head, the cross-head of said plates being arranged parallel to and engaging said bar to support the same thereon, spring members on said plates cooperating with adjacent apertures on said bar for securing the device against displacement from said bar when a partition strip is disposed between said spaced walls, and the spring members of said walls normally projecting into the space formed between said walls and being forced outwardly by the partition strip inserted therein.

11. The combination with a'support having spaced apertures, of an article supporting member comprising spaced Walls joined at one end by a cross-head, said walls having centrally of the cross head projecting arms for passage through the apertures of said support, and said arms being yieldably supported in connection With said Walls.

12. Thefcombination with a support having spaced apertures, of an article supporting member comprising spaced Walls having projecting arms for passage through the apertures of said support, said arms being yieldably supported in connection with said Walls and relatively wide supporting feet at opposite sides of said arms.

13. The combination with a channeled bar having longitudinally spaced apertures, of a substantially U -shaped supporting device consisting of spaced side walls joined by a crosshead, the crosshead terminating at its ends in relatively wide feet adapted to be arranged at opposite sides of the channel of said bar, and the Walls of said device intermediate the feet having spring fingers adapted to be passed through adjacent apertures in said bar in mounting the device in connection therewith.

14. The combination with a channeled bar having longitudinally spaced apertures, of a substantially U-shaped supporting device consisting of spaced side walls joined by a crosshead, the crosshead terminating at its ends in relatively Wide feet adapted to be arranged at opposite sides of the channel of said bar, the walls of said device intern mediate the feet having spring fingers adapted to be passed through adjacent apertures in said bar in mounting the device in connection therewith,`

and means including a member arranged between the walls of said device for rmly supporting the device against movement on said bar.

PIERRE H. MEYER. 

